Locked joint metal strip



Oct. 16, 1934. w, o. SHELDON LOCKED JOINT METAL STRIP Filed March 24, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l gwuentoz WILL/A M x 0. (j/16100 Oct. 16, 1934. w. o. SHELDON LOCKED JOINT METAL STRIP Fil ed March 24, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuvntow WILL/AN Q 5/4700 (7% Patented Oct. 16, 1934 UNITED STATE Si 1,976,968 LOCKED JOINT METAL STRIP William 0. Sheldon, Lakewood, Ohio Application March 24,

8 Claims.

My invention relates to locked joint metal strips, especially advantageous for roofing or weatherboarding, or other analogous structures. Such strips will be formed of continuous length,

so that the sheet or plate can be used the full length of a roof or wall, thereby eliminating all transverse joints.

The object of my invention is to produce a strip of metal of continuous length which may be severed into lengths of substantially flat plates having lateral locking edges having beads for an effective welding joint giving the smallest contact practicable, there being on each main plate I a lateral standing bead at one edge forming portion of a retaining slot or recess with a retaining bead at the bottom at the other edge for holding therein a compressible bead on the other edge of a corresponding sheet or plate, and providing a suitable locking joint between edges of laterally contacting sheets.

It is a further object of my invention to provide rectangular strips of metal having lateral edges so formed that a plurality of such sheets may be locked together, oneedge of each sheet providing an upwardly directed retaining slot, for receiving therein a. compressible retaining bead provided on the opposite edge of a corresponding sheet.

A further object is attained by my invention. consisting in providing the lateral edges of a metal sheet of rectangular form, of interlocking and engaging character, so that the individual sheets may be secured to a plane surface as a support, by welding, soldering or riveting one edge only of each sheet to the support, while the opposite edge of the sheet is interlocked into the positively secured edge of the corresponding sheet by crowding a bead of the unlocked edge into an upwardly directed slot in such secured edge, whereby each interlocked seam of connectedv sheets is positively secured to the foundation support for the joint sheets, as for roofs or weatherboarding.

Another object of my invention is to provide a metal strip having'one edge folded back on itself and bent downward forming a compressible bead, the extreme outer edge of the material being again bent. outwardly to form a contacting lip for engag ing the inner wall of a corresponding bead on the opposite edge of a similar sheet, to lock the sheets together.

Another and further object of my invention is to provide a metal strip adapted to be duplicated in interlocking relation for covering a large surface area, one edge of the strip being provided.

1932, Serial No. 600,936"

for welding to a support, and the other lateral" edge having a compressible bead for detachable engagement with the flanged edge of a corresponding sheet.

, Other objects of my invention will be hereinafter described and for a better understanding of the nature, scope and advantages of my invention, reference may be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a roofing showing duplicatedv parts shown in interlocked engagement, with parts shown in transverse section and details shown in part only;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a single sheet of my metal strip;

. Figure 3 is an edge View of a metal strip;

Figure 4 is a transverse section of an interlocking joint between corresponding sheets of material shown in engaged relation, and

Figure 5 is a transverse section of an interlocking joint between engaging edges of metal sheets, in a modified form.

, In practicing my invention, it has been found highly advantageous to employ a plurality of elongated metal strips which are locked together, edge to edge, positively securing one edge of each strip, to the support intended to carry the metal construction, and to thereafter interlock the opposite edge of each strip with the positively secured edge of the corresponding strip, preferably by forcibly pressing an expansible bead on the interlocking edge of one sheet into the positively secured bead or channel on the anchored edge of the corresponding sheet. By this construction, both edges of all the sheets will finally be secured upon the supporting foundation, though there will be no more seams or joints than there are sheets employed.

To make practicable the application of a plurality', of elongated sheets laterally interlocked edge to edge, and all extending longitudinally in the direction of the length of the roof, I have discovered it to be structurally effective to employ individual sheets having the lateral edge characteristics shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. In each of these sheets, it is my purpose to bend outwardly from the main sheet 15, a narrow flange 5 substantially in parallelism with the .main sheet, and to form a downwardly bent narrow bead 6 lengthwise of the flange, for direct contact with the supporting structure for the roof such support being illustrated asmetal rafters 1.7,. as embodied in the structure shown.

The described head 6 is shown as narrow for the purpose of attaining the narrowest contact possible, and for the further purpose of readily welding such bead to the metal support 17, or if desired, by riveting such bead in position as shown at 14 in the bead 13, in the modified form shown in Fig. 5. This Welded or riveted securing of the flange 5 to the support is accomplished at one edge only of the sheet 15, while the opposite lateral edge of the sheet will later be forced into interlocking engagement with the fixed edge of the corresponding sheet. a

The edge of the sheet 15 opposite the flange 5, will be formed into an interlocking engaging means by bending the material downwardly upon itself into approximate engagement with the main strip for a definite length 20, at the same time forming a beaded formation 19 at the line of bending. The material 20 will then be bent downwardly at right angles to the main strip in a vertical plane indicated at 26, and the extreme edge of this bent portion of the sheet will be again bent into a rounded bead 18 which because of the material employed and the shape of the bead, will be 7 expansible and compressible.

The beaded edge 5 of the sheet 15, is formed with an intermediate and elongated open bead 9 having an elongated and transversely reduced entrance channel 11 which is then treated by bending the material 15 upward obliquely and then downwardly a short distance at approximately 90 degrees, thereby forming a contact bead 29 directed upwardly and having a sharp peak which will meet the sheet material 20 at the opposite edge of the corresponding sheet, when the two sheets are engaged. From the upper end of the channel 11 the material is curved over laterally and downwardly to form an are 10 from which the material leads directly downward at '7 in substantial parallelism with the downwardly bent sheet section 28, of the sheet material 20, until the material 7 unites integrally with the flange 5 at a right angle thereto.

In interlocking the sheets 15 it is my purpose to forcibly insert the bead 18 of the unsecured edge of one sheet downwardly into the bead 9 of a secured edge of acompanion sheet, such insertion being made by forcing the bead 18 through the entrance channel 11 down into the outer head 9. The bead 18 is compressible and expansible to make a very positive engagement within the bead 9, and as a further means of interlocking the beads 9 and 18, I provide an outwardly bent butnarrow lip 21 integral withthe bead 18, which lip will be normally pressed outward against the inner surface of the bead 9 when the parts are interlocked.

The interlocking joint forming the seam between the engaging edges of attached sheets 15, is shown in detail in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the expansible bead 18 shown inserted in the head 9 with the lip 21 shown engaging the inner surface of such. outer bead. It will be clear from this illustration, that any force applied to detach the section 26 together with the intermediate bead 19 will not only cause the lip 21 to engage the inner surface of the bead 9 with greater intensity, but will also serve to prevent entrance of liquid at the point of contact.

Since the bead 18 with its out-turned lip 21 is carried by integral suspension from the section 26, any force tolift the latter as well as the parts 19 and 20, tends toexpand the bead 18, for the reason that the entrance channel 11 is narrower than the bead 18. This engagement by the lip 21 of the inner surface of the outer bead 9 is acter in Fig. 1, embodies in addition to the interlocking feature, a special means for preventing entrance of liquids into such joints after engagement of the beads 9 and 18 at the corresponding edges of similar sheets 15. Such very effective barrier to entrance of liquid drifting in over the edge of a channel formed between the engaging top and bottom sheets comprises the angle or contact bead 29 embodying therein the acute peak which when the parts 20 and 26 are lowered to bring the head 18 into the bead 9 of the other sheet, will be positively brought into contact with the lower surface of the material 20 of the upper and outer edge of the interlocking sheet 15, while at the same time, contacting the edges of corresponding sheets by bearing the bead 19 of the upper sheet down upon the upper surface of the flat portion of the sheet 15 beyond the said angle or contact bead 29.

My interlocking engagement of edges of duplicated sheets 15 not only makes feasible a positive engagement of one edge of a series of such duplicate sheets upon a strong support, such as the beams or rafters 17, as by welding or riveting, but also makes practicable the later engagement of the opposite lateral edges into the secured edges of the same sheets.

The angular formation of the contact bead 29 as a raised peak in the main sheet between which and the flange 5, the elongated and approximately cylindrical bead 9 is formed, whether of roofing or of a siding sheet, serves to divide the space between the length 20 and lower strip 15, into two air spaces 30 and 32 which avoid the effect of suction or the entrance of water into the bead 9 by capillary attraction. It is also to be noted a that the raising of the bead 9 above the normal level of the securing bead 6 in the flange 5, also serves to keep water from flowing or drifting into the connecting channel 11. The relative position of the several sheets 15 with their interlocking edges, as shown in Fig. 1, makes clear that the curved bead 10 from which the sheet leads integrally to the entrance 11 of the bead 9,, is wholly underneath the main portion of. the sheet 15, the combined structure 510929 very elficiently protecting the interlocking parts 9-18, underneath when the joint is formed.

While the formation of the duplicated sheet 15 with its edges 5 and 18 may be continuous across the entire roof in the direction of its length, and on either a flat or inclined surface, a very slight change in the main sheet for purposes of adaptation to the particular structure to be used at the caves of the roof may readily be made, and a suggestion of such a section 31, is shown in Fig. 1. In such a construction, the parts 5, 6, 7, 10',

11, 9, 29 are exact duplicates of the fixed edge structure of the main duplicate strips 15, the opposite edge of this modified sheet 31 will be bent downwardly to a beaded flange structure 6a from which the material will be again bent downward over the lower ends of the supports 17, at 8, and thereafter tucked inward and upward at 12 towholly enclose the cave portion of the room. It will be clear that in a double or peak roof, the

eave strip 31 will be duplicated on either side of the roof. I

In use of my novel and useful roofing strip on a double or peak roof, the eave strip 31 is provided adjacent the eaves on either side, and the sheets or strips 15 applied successively toward the peak, until the edge flange 5 of the uppermost strip 15 is positioned adjacent the peak of the supports 17 on either side of the roof, and a ridge or peak strip is then applied on the ridge itself, in the manner shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This ridge element comprises a central ridge tube 28 which is integral with duplicate narrow strips 27, each of which latter has an edge structure having the form exactly like that shown at the right hand edge of the main strip 15, as it appears in Fig. 2 or 3. t

The ridge structure 27-28 diifers from the sheets 15 only in the fact that the ridge structure has both its edges formed of the under bent section 20, with the section 26 and the expansible bead 18 with the interlocking lip 21, for downward interlocking pressure into the bead 9 on either side of the ridge tube 28. The two edge beads 19 on the lateral edges of the ridge member 27 are duplicates, and both serve to prevent entrance of liquid at the point of contact thereof upon the surface of the strip 15, when the bead 18 has been forcibly inserted into the outer bead 9. Thus the entire roof surface may be protected by my metal sheets each of which will usually be as long as the roof itself.

The interlocking joint structure shown in Fig. 4, and duplicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, ismy preferred form, and has been found highly practicable. I have however, invented another modified improvement for such joint structure which I have illustrated in Fig. 5. In this form the material of the lower strip extends upwardly from the bead 9 as a section 11a and then extends as a flat strip 16.

This strip 16 in this modified structure, corresponds to the main flat sheet 15 of the preferred form appearing in the other views. The opposite edge of this modified strip, here shown as the uppermost edge strip, comprises a bead 25 corresponding to the bead 19 of the preferred form, the material being directed in spaced relation to the sheet 16 to a downwardly-curved bead 24 from which the integral strip material again passes in parallelism to the bead 16 as a section 20a from which the material is bent downwardly at 26 to a cylindrical bead 22 having an upwardly extended flange 23 which extends through the entire throat leading into the outer bead 9. The locking lip 21 is omitted from this form. The two cavities 30a and 32a are substituted for cavities 30 and 32 respectively, of the preferred form.

In the use of this highly serviceable roofing strip having the very desirable lock joint illustrated, it is to be noted that the strip 31 is to be first placed in position by fixedly securing the same upon the support 17 by welding at 6 and 6a, or by riveting at 14, so that the eave strip or strips will present a fixed and protective member providing a sharp peak at 29 for the purpose above explained, and a downwardly presented open bead 9 with entrance channel 11. The generic form of roof strip 15, as shown in either Fig. 2 or 3, is then applied in overlapping relation to the eave strip 31, at proper relative position so that the edge 19 of the strip will be superposed loosely above the peak 29 and with the bead 18 in registration with the outer bead 9. The shallow bead 6 of the superposed" strip is new fixed upon the support 17 by welding, riveting or some other equivalent means, after which .the bead 18 is then forcibly pressed down through the channel '11 into the bead 9 provided in'the eave strip 31.

Other roof strips which maybe of the form 15 shown in the first four views, or that numbered 16 shown in Fig. 5, are then applied to the supports 17 successively in the manner above explained, until sucha roof strip has been used having an exposed edge provided with a flange 5 which approaches closely the ridge of the roof itself thereby leaving an exposed surface of the roof too narrow toreceive another metal strip of the size and form thus far used. When a double roof frame is to be covered, both sides will be covered with the strips 15 and 81, until the uppermost strips 15 and 16 have at their uppermost edges, a retaining bead 6 and a'locking bead 9 after which the ridge structure 27-28 is applied thereon, and the locking bead 18 or 22 of each edge of said structure interlocked in the bead 9 of the corresponding main strip.

The number of main sheets having interlocking lateral edges that will be used on a given roof, will depend of course, upon the width of the roofing strip found desirable, as well as upon the area of the roof itself. In any case, a highly desirable interlocking engagement between the several strips at their edges will result, the num-- ber of such interlocking joints depending on the factors above stated. No nailing of the roofing strips when the same'are appliedto the roof, will be required, each of the interlocked joints being secured by one edge only of the roofing strip to the supports 17, by spot welding the shallow bead 6, or riveting the same, if the form in Fig. 5 is used. t 1

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. Asheet metal strip having onelateral edge bent upwardly and downwardly to form an intermediate ridge above the bod'ystrip and thereafter bent outwardly to form a supporting flange having means for securing positively the strip edge in contacting relation with suitable frame members, and the opposite lateral edge of such strip being folded back underneath the strip in a flat portion with an intermediate rounded bead,

the edge of such flat portion being thereafter bent downwardly to provide an interlocking structure adapted to be forced downwardly in overlapping and contacting relation with the said ridge of the positively secured edge of a corresponding metal strip.

2. A sheet metal strip having one lateral edge bent upwardly and downwardly to form an in termediate ridge above the body strip and there-- after bent outwardly to form a supporting fiangc with an intermediate upwardly directed open 113 bead, said flange having means for positively securing said strip edge in contacting relation with suitable supporting frame members, and the op-- posite lateral edge of such strip being folded back:

underneath the strip in a fiat portion with an intermediate rounded bead, the inner edge of such fiat portion being thereafter bent downwardly and: upwardly to form an open expansible bead for forcible insertion into said upwardly directed bead in interlocking relation with a positively attached edge of a corresponding metal strip, the said flat portion being supported directly upon the said ridge of a'positively secured edge, when the open beads of overlapping edges are interlocked.

3. An interlocking joint for metal roofing strips comprising strips adapted to occupy overlapping relation along their meeting edges, one ofsaid edges having means for positive attachment-to a supporting frame and an elongated intermediate bead opening upwardly between said attaching means and the body of the strip, and having a reduced entrance channel connected. with the opening of said bead, and the other edge having a narrow portion thereof folded back underneath the strip and the inner edgeof suchportion having an elongated and expansible-open bead having an out-turned lip-on its edge, the said interme diate bead having a size adequate to receive said expansible bead and its lip therein, and said entrance channel having adequate size to permit insertion therethrough of the said expansible head when reduced by compression.

4. An interlocking joint for metal roofing strips comprising strips adapted to occupy overlapping relation along their meeting edges, one of said edges having an elongated and integral bead opening upwardly through a reduced integral channel and an elongated angular portion between said channel and the main body of the strinand rising above the level of said main body, and the other edge having a portion folded back underneath the strip as a flat margin withv an intermediate enlarged and rounded bead at the folded edge, the said rounded bead and angular portion having a common height, the inner edge of said fiat margin having an expansible open bead bent downwardly from said margin, the first mentioned bead having a size adequate to receive therein the said expansible bead, and the latter being adequately compressible to be forcibly inserted through said reduced channel into the integral bead, the interlocking of the expansible bead of one strip within the open bead integral with said channel of a corresponding strip forcing the said enlarged and rounded head at the said folded edge into contact with the lower strip and at the same time forcing the said flat margin into contact with the said elongated angular portion thereby forming elongated cavities between the overlapped strips and between the angular portion and rounded bead, and between said angularportion and the downwardly bent wall integral with said flat margin.

5. A sheet metal building strip having one lateral edge provided withan opencylindrical bead and a reduced elongated channel leading thereinto, and its opposite lateral edge folded underneath and bent upon itself in spaced relation from the body of the strip to form an open and elongated hollow expansible bead having an outturned lip onits edge, the said expansible bead and its lip having a size adequate to normally fit within said open cylindrical bead and compressible to permit its entrance through said reduced channel thereinto for interlocking lateral edges of two corresponding strips.'

6. ;An interlocking joint for metal roofingstrips comprising strips adapted to occupy overlapping relation alongtheir meeting edges, one of said edges having an elongated integral bead opening upwardly througha reduced and elongated integral channel, and the other edge having therein a narrow porti on folded back underneath the strip as a flat margin with an intermediate enlarged and rounded bead at the folded edge and the inner edge of such narrow portion having an expansible and open bead bent downwardly from said flat margin and having an out-turned lip on its edge, the said expansible bead and its lip being of adequate size to admit its forcible insertion' into the said upwardly opening bead of the first mentioned edge to interlock said expansible and open bead in the openbead of an edge of a corresponding strip, with said intermediate enlarged rounded bead resting in contact with and upon the body of the strip adjacent said integral beadand channel. e 7. A sheet metal strip having one lateral edge bent downwardly with an intermediate ridge raised above the body strip, the edge of the downwardly bent portion being again bent upwardly to form an upwardly directed, open, cylindrical bead, beneath the level of said biased ridge, and again bent downwardly in a plane at right angles to the main strip and thereafter bent inwardly in parallelism with such strip to form a supporting flange,a narrow, shallow bead being formed in said flange for securing positively the strip edge in contacting relation to suitable transverse support members, and the opposite lateral edge of such metal-strip being folded back underneath itself in a flat portion with an intermediate rounded bead, the edge of suchflat portion being bent downwardly and upwardly to form an open cylindrical bead of expansible material adapted to be forcibly inserted into the .said open cylindrical bead in overlapping relation with the positively secured edge of a corresponding metal strip.

8. A sheet metal building strip having one lateral edge provided with an open cylindrical bead, a reduced channel leading downwardly thereinto and a supporting flange beyond said bead, and its opposite lateral edge folded underneath and bent upon itself in spacedjrelation from the strip to form an open and elongated hollow expansible bead .having an outturned lip on its edge, the said expansible bead and its lip having together a size adequate to normally fit within said open cylindrical bead and compressible to permit its entrance through said reduced channel thereinto, for interlocking lateral edges of two corresponding strips. 2 WILLIAM O. SHELDON. 

